The Kansas City Chiefs kicked off the 2026 offseason with a batch of reserve/future contract signing news on the evening of January 5.
KSHB 41 beat reporter Nick Jacobs relayed the contract agreements on X, but they were also confirmed via the NFL transaction notice.
“The team has signed: LB Kam Arnold, DT Marcus Harris, WR Jimmy Holiday & OT Matt Waletzko to reserve/future contracts,” Jacobs informed.
Out of the four, Holiday is probably the name that fans would know best, as the undrafted rookie wide receiver has spent his inaugural season bouncing on and off the KC practice squad.
After initially impressing this spring and summer, Holiday has been released, then signed, then released again, in what feels like a vicious cycle. But that’s the harsh reality for most undrafted rookies who are just on the cusp of a roster spot.
Aside from a brief stop with the Seattle Seahawks’ practice squad, Holiday has only played for the Chiefs in year one. During the preseason, the big-play threat caught 3 receptions for 60 yards, but was only targeted a total of 4 times.
Clearly, Kansas City sees something in Holiday, who also has a decent amount of experience as a returner. The current plan appears to be giving him another offseason of development inside the KC system.
As a reminder, per Pro Football Network, a reserve/future contract is a “contract that secures an NFL player to a team for the future.” They do not count against the salary cap or roster restrictions until the start of the new league year in March.
Once a player agrees to a reserve/future signing, they are unable to negotiate with other teams unless they’re released.
Chiefs Begin Reserve/Future Contracts With Post-Week 18 Signing News
The Chiefs didn’t waste any time getting a few extra prospects under contract ahead of the start of the new league year. Along with Holiday, Kansas City has locked up Arnold, Harris, and Waletzko — two of whom were signed last week.
The Chiefs held a large round of tryouts in between Week 17 and Week 18, and the result was practice squad contracts for Arnold and Harris.
Arnold is an undrafted rookie linebacker out of Boston College. The 6-foot-1 defender spent his preseason and training camp with the Washington Commanders, but he did not make the 53-man roster at the cutdown.
At Boston College, Arnold racked up over 250 total tackles, 3 interceptions, and 4.5 sacks over 56 collegiate appearances (41 starts). During the 2025 preseason, he logged 12 total tackles in 3 games.
As for Harris, he’s a former seventh-round pick of the Houston Texans and a second-year pro out of Auburn. Listed at 6-foot-3 and 295 pounds, Harris was credited with 126 total tackles and 11.0 sacks in college. He started 40 games, appearing in 47 total.
Over 7 preseason outings split between the Texans (in 2024) and the Buffalo Bills (in 2025), Harris recorded 7 total tackles, 2 QB hits, and 1 pass breakup.
Finally, Waletzko is a massive, 6-foot-8 piece of clay for the Chiefs’ coaching staff to get their hands on.
The offensive lineman was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 2022, so he’s been in the league for a few years already. Waletzko only appeared in 11 games with Dallas over three seasons, getting 20 snaps on offense and another 27 on special teams.
Chiefs Part Ways With 2 Members of Practice Squad
As part of the same group of transactional news, Jacobs also noted that the Chiefs cut quarterback Shane Buechele and defensive back Tanner McCalister.
Buechele reunited with KC after the Gardner Minshew injury, but it appears Chris Oladokun has shown enough to fend off the QB3 competition.
As for McCalister, the former undrafted prospect spent a little less than a month within the organization, as part of the practice squad. It would appear he didn’t do enough to earn a spot on the Chiefs’ 2026 90-man roster.
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